


Finding Courage

by xxDustNight88



Category: Gossip Girl (TV 2007)
Genre: F/M, Family, Marriage Bliss, One Shot, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29566947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDustNight88/pseuds/xxDustNight88
Summary: Serena finds herself struggling to share some unplanned news with her husband.
Relationships: Dan Humphrey/Serena van der Woodsen
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6
Collections: Birthday Bonanza, Tropes and Fandoms 2021





	Finding Courage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cb_w](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cb_w/gifts).



> Happy birthday to Cb_w (anotherworldash - tumblr)!! This was my first time writing for this fandom, so I hope I did it justice and that you enjoyed it! Have a really great birthday! Much love, xxDustNight88!
> 
> Huge thank you to starrnobella for reading this over and GaeilgeRua for allowing me to use her Grammarly! Any other mistakes are definitely my own..
> 
> Disclaimer: Gossip Girl belongs to Warner Bros, Television Alloy Entertainment College Hill Pictures, and CBS Television Studios in varying degrees. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Prompt: #TropesAndFandoms21 17 February: Family

With a shaky breath and hands, Serena picked up the little white stick that held the truth of her future. Had two minutes really gone that fast? Bracing herself mentally, Serena looked at the results and smiled, only to frown a second later. Two blue lines. Positive. She was pregnant. She and Dan were going to be parents.

Tossing the stick into the trash, she washed her hands and exited the bathroom to lay back down on their bed. She should have known something was amiss months ago. Only, she and Dan had been so busy lately. He had been finalizing his new book and making plans for a book tour while working on her blog and charity events. A missed period was nothing when you were rushing from place to place and through day to day like no other.

When it finally occurred to her that it'd been a while since her cycle, Serena rushed to take the test. Now all the nausea and oversleeping made sense. The weird pains and her clothes growing tighter did as well. All the puzzle pieces were finally slotting into place, and the big picture was a baby. What on earth were they going to do?

Dan's book tour… He was supposed to leave in a week and not return to New York for almost six months. If her math was correct, he'd be gone most of her pregnancy. Groaning, Serena curled onto her side and covered her face with a pillow. He was going to want to cancel the whole thing just to be with her after he'd worked so hard on his novel.

Deciding she needed advice from her best friend, Serena tossed the pillow aside and reached for her phone. Finding her conversation with Blair, she quickly typed a message and hit send. If anyone was going to help her with this situation, it was Blair. She and Chuck had been parents for nearly seven years… They hadn't wasted time after getting married either, but Serena felt certain that Dan wanted to wait more than six months before getting her pregnant.

S: _Can I come over to see you? I have something important I need to discuss._

B: _Yes, but I already know you're pregnant. Why didn't you tell me sooner?_

S: _I only just found out myself. Are you free right now?_

B: _I'm going over some designs, but we can do lunch._

S: _Thanks, B. I'll see you soon._

With that sorted, Serena hopped from the bed and hurried to get ready. If she was having lunch with Blair, she needed to look presentable. Besides, it would make her feel better to pretend as if her entire world wasn't about to change. Selecting a loose dress, Serena sat down at her vanity and got to work.

* * *

"We didn't really plan to have kids right away," Serena said, continuing the conversation she and Blair had been having since she arrived. "I thought it wouldn't happen for a while. I'm afraid he'll be upset we didn't wait longer."

"You just have to tell him, S," Blair said, rolling her eyes. "Tell him exactly what you feel after you tell him you're pregnant, of course. You two have been through hell and back about a million times. How is it that you still don't feel comfortable telling him about something like this?"

Serena sighed and flopped down onto the chaise lounge. Glancing up at Blair, she explained, "Dan's supposed to leave on his book tour in six weeks. He'll be gone nearly the entirety of my second trimester and possibly part of my third if they add another leg onto the end of the tour."

"So?" Blair said, sitting down on the sofa across the room and crossing her ankles. "You won't have to worry about him annoying you at all."

"Dan doesn't annoy me," Serena started, but when Blair lifted one perfect eyebrow, she laughed and added, "much." Sitting up, she just shook her head, blonde hair falling down her back. "Seriously, though, he doesn't annoy me more than any other husband annoys their wife. We get on amazingly, and I know I'm ridiculous about this… I just don't know what to say."

"I remember when I had to tell Chuck I was pregnant," Blair said and then smiled fondly at Henry playing in the corner of the room.

"How did you do it?" Serena asked, leaning forward as if she could absorb her friend's advice. "Tell Chuck?"

Blair shrugged and then smiled as she remembered a time long ago. "Well, it was quite obvious that I was pregnant. I knew right away, and I suspect he did too based on my morning sickness and my sudden urge to sleep until late morning."

"So you never told him?" Serena shook her head with a smile.

"I didn't say that… No, I told him when he came home from The Empire one evening," Blair said, smoothing out her dress. "He walked in and asked if I had a good day. I simply looked him in the eye and said, 'Chuck, we're having a baby,' and that was it. The next thing I knew, we were making love on the sofa…"

Serena scrunched up her face at the image and then laughed. "I guess that's what I have to do then… Just summon up enough courage and tell Dan right to his face."

"You're Serena van der Woodsen. Pull yourself together and tell the man! After you get the news out, I'm sure the moment you tell him he'll want to rip your clothes off and ravish you on the spot." Here she stood and made a face that caused Serena to laugh. "Come on now. Let's have some lunch before you have to head home."

Serena followed Blair into the kitchen, but her mind reeled at what she had to do later. She and Dan had discussed children, but never did she think it would happen so soon. Nevertheless, Blair was right; she had to tell him sooner or later, and sooner made the most sense.

* * *

Dan had been busy working in his office when she got home from Blair and Chuck's, so Serena had left him alone. Instead, she fussed over her latest blog post, made a few calls for donations to her next event, and then helped make sure dinner was ready by five. While they ate, Dan talked amicably about the book tour, leaving Serena no point to share their news. After dinner, Dan retreated to his office to call Rufus.

Standing in the doorway to their bedroom, Serena began to panic. _How am I just supposed to blurt out this news?_ Thoughts raced in her head as she tried to figure out the perfect way to tell Dan about their baby. Spotting his notes on the bedside table, she smiled. Finally, an idea was forming in her head, so she hurried forward and perched on the edge of the mattress. She picked up the notes and a spare pen before getting to work.

Anxiously, Serena sat up in bed next to Dan as he read through his notes. He'd told her he was looking for the perfect excerpt to read during the first leg of his book tour. Each time he turned a page, her heart leapt at what he may be about to find. Only, she could no longer remember exactly where she'd left a note for him. She mindlessly scrolled through her latest blog draft, looking for edits to make, but seeing none.

Finally, Dan gasped and turned to face her. "Serena," he said slowly, holding up the page of notes she'd scribbled on earlier. "Is this true?"

Gently closing the lid of her laptop, Serena set it aside and turned to face her husband as best she could. "Yes," she replied, face slightly scrunched up with worry. "I wasn't sure how else to tell you, so I just sort of slipped it in there."

Shaking his head, Dan laughed. "Even after all these years, you're still sending me Gossip Girl blasts." Placing the notes on the bedside table, Dan gestured for Serena to come to him. "Come here."

Serena plunged into his arms and allowed him to kiss her, relaxing as his lips roamed over hers. When they parted for air, she whispered, "Are you upset?"

"Why on earth would I be upset?" Dan said, shifting so they could get comfortable against their pillows. "We're about to have a baby. I'm thrilled. Honestly, I want to start jumping up and down on the bed, but I'm afraid I might look insane."

"I was terrified you'd be mad," Serena admitted, glancing up at him from where she rested against his shoulder. "Your book tour starts next week."

"Oh, that's not an issue. I can rearrange some dates and make sure I'm here in New York when you need me to be," Dan said, kissing the top of her head.

"I thought you'd cancel, and I really didn't want you to do that," Serena continued to explain. "I know your last book tour for _Insider_ didn't do so well, so I didn't want to be the reason why this one got messed up too."

"Don't worry about the past," Dan replied, smoothing out her hair. "We decided long ago not to let that define our future together. I love you, and that's all that matters now."

"I love you so much," Serena said and then kissed her husband. "I can't wait to have your baby."

Dan smiled and kissed her heatedly. "I can't wait to be a father. Thank you."

He kissed her again, and before long, they were making love just as Blair had predicted. There was still a long journey to parenthood for both of them, but at least they were on the same page now. Pushing any more worries from her mind for the night, Serena allowed herself to enjoy this celebratory moment with her husband. Everything else could wait.

**Author's Note:**

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